People Managing People Podcast

What Great Leaders Do Differently Under Extreme Pressure

In this episode, executive coach and biologist Anouk Braque explains that AI-driven transformation is less a technology upgrade and more a biological stress test for leaders. She describes how constant uncertainty hijacks the nervous system, shutting down the prefrontal cortex and forcing leaders into tunnel‑vision, fight‑flight‑freeze responses that undermine strategic thinking, empathy, and self‑reflection. Braque outlines subtle physiological cues of this hijack—body tension, narrowed visual field, and gut‑driven bias—and offers a daily "turbo practice" to reset into a "center of the storm" state where the brain remains alert yet relaxed. The conversation frames these neuro‑biological dynamics as an organizational risk, urging boards to prioritize leader resilience alongside AI initiatives.